tits, sergeant?â he asked.
âPretty goddam fine, sir,â came the reply.
âLord, no⦠theyâre far too big,â Tucker declared. âShe reminds me of a cow ready for milking.â
One of the troopers laughed. Bel failed to react either to the insult or the groping, but simply stared past the League officerâs shoulder at the blank wall.
âEach to his own, sir,â the sergeant said.
Major Tucker relinquished Belâs breasts, his hand moving instead to her groin. He caressed her, his middle finger stroking up and down her slit. Jo was sure he would penetrate her, but he refrained. Was there a spark of decency in him after all? Probably not, she thought bitterly. It was more likely he was merely savouring the moment; making Bel wait for the inevitable whilst heightening his own anticipation.
He kept this up for a couple of minutes, then took hold of her pubic hair and tugged upwards, forcing her up onto her toes. He kept her there, a faint smile on his lips, till her legs began to quiver with the strain of holding the position. Finally he released her, and turned to Jo.
âNow for Miss Mickleberry.â
It was a childrenâs storybook: Little Miss Mickleberry , the girl who was afraid of anything and everything. Jo felt a prickle of resentment, and was determined not to let him see just how scared she really was. He completed the circuit of inspection, then ran his fingers through her hair as he had with Bel. The way he did it felt decidedly creepy, as if he had a fixation about it. She hadnât had her hair cut since finishing basic training, and now it was neither one thing nor the other â too long to be called short, and too short to be called long.
âYou like blondes, sergeant?â Tucker asked.
âVery much, sir. Brunettes and redheads, too.â
âI prefer blondes,â the major confided. â Real blondes, that is, which I very much doubt the lieutenant here is.â
She was, in fact, but didnât feel tempted to enlighten him on the matter. He came around in front of her, and without waiting to be asked she clasped her hands behind her head and stared at him with all the assurance she could muster. He smiled in a superior, knowing fashion, as if to say her charade was fooling nobody, and looked her up and down.
âGood figure,â he conceded grudgingly. âTits still a bit too big for my tastes, but not as bad as Daisy the Cow there.â
He put his hands on her breasts and proceeded to knead them. Jo waited for the inevitable insult, but none was forthcoming. He pinched her nipples, hard enough to make her gasp, and smirked at her obvious discomfort.
âA little sensitive here, are we?â
She decided she hated him more than ever. Anger helped strengthen her, pushing out her fear. Then his hand went lower, tracking slowly down over her ribs and belly, and apprehension swamped her once more. His fingers pushed between her legs and he stroked her slit. Her every instinct was to step back, away from that gross parody of a loverâs caress, and it took all her willpower just to stand still and take it. Then his fingertip found her clitoris, and he flicked it rapidly. She moaned, and shivered. Her tormentor leaned forward, his lips close to her ear.
âYou know, lieutenant,â he murmured softly, âIâm really going to enjoy fucking you.â
She didnât know what to make of that threat, or promise, or whatever it was supposed to be. He released her and stepped back, smiling broadly now, while Jo just stared at him in confusion.
âWell now,â he said, addressing them jointly, âColonel Hendricks insists I offer you one last chance to change your mind. Give us the information we need, and I swear you wonât be harmed. Fail to cooperate and things will get very unpleasant very quickly. I trust I make myself clear?â
âAs crystal,â Bel